Rose Savkov lost her dear friend far too early. See the beautiful video tribute to Tex by Rose's daughter Nikki Savkov, and read the eulogy by Janita Leinonen.
How to impress me in a seminar or in trials? By running a clean run? By being really fast and staying ahead of the dog from start to finish? No, the way to touch my heart is by showing to me the co-operation and trust between the handler and the dog. One of those pairs who has left a permanent mark to my heart was Rose Savkov & Tex. The last time I saw them was in our seminar May 2015 in New Jersey. They truly were at their best; one really could see the trust between them throughout the entire course. It was like they read each other’s mind, demonstrating the OneMind Dogs philosophy perfectly: Two Souls, One Mind… You don't always get that bond with a dog or see it with a team. You could really see the strong bond Rose and Tex shared. They loved each other and had a very special connection. After their run I hugged Rose and said: “You have managed to get all the pieces together now, I’m so proud of you two. Your team is a pure joy to watch!”
One week later an awful tragedy took place and Tex was gone. He was only six years old. Way too young to leave this world. I often tell to people who are nervous about their performance in agility: “Approach every course or training session like it would be your last one together. You never know when it is.” This is my way to try to teach people to not get frustrated to themselves or their canine companions and learn to ignore what other people might think of them. I’m honored I was privileged to be able to witness Rose’s and Tex’s last training together. They both enjoyed every minute of it and held nothing back. They have nothing to regret, only good memories.
Dear Rose, we know how much Tex meant to you and we’ll never forget you two. We remember Tex, not just for the incredible athlete that he was, but for the bond that you two had. Over the years we have seen many good dogs in the world, but not that many connections that you and Tex had. It was just unique and truly touched our hearts. Nothing can ease your pain at the moment, but Tex left you something very precious, his offspring. Some day we hope to see the same bond between you two. Our hearts and thoughts are with you and Tex <3
Janita
